Updating elements in data storage facility using predefined state machine over extended time period

ABSTRACT

A sequence for distributing at least one of a plurality of code packages to the at least one facility according to different states of a fixed state machine is set. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is installed in at least one staging area. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is maintained in the at least one staging area in a valid, dormant mode while the fixed state machine is stopped. Pursuant to a resumption of the fixed state machine at a subsequent time, a current code package is swapped with the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area to activate the at least one of the plurality of code packages.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/769,763, filed on Apr. 29, 3012.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates in general to computers, and more particularly to apparatus, method and computer program product embodiments updating elements in a multi-server data storage facility using a state machine over an extended period of time.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Storage facilities such as storage servers as commonly used by corporations and other organizations have high-capacity disk arrays to store large amounts of data from external host systems. A storage facility may also backup data from another storage facility, such as at a remote site. The IBM® Enterprise Storage Server (ESS) is an example of such a storage facility. Such facilities can access arrays of disks or other storage media to store and retrieve data. Moreover, redundant capabilities may be provided as a further safeguard against data loss. For example, a dual server system includes two separate servers that can access the same storage disks.

Moreover, storage facilities include several subsystems and components, referred to as updateable elements, each requiring its own unique update image and update commands. The elements are updated from time to time to provide new features or fix problems, for instance. Elements that may be updated include host adapters, device adapters, service processors, storage disks, power components, and so forth.

SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIBED EMBODIMENTS

The process of updating a storage facility server may involve several layers of hardware, firmware, and software. The complexity involved in handling these components causes code updates to potentially take a significant amount of time. In order to reduce the maintenance time window of a system (which may include one or more complex with virtualized storage facilities), current approaches separate the installation and activation of the new level of code. In implementations where a fixed state machine is utilized to perform the updates, difficulties may arise if the updates are performed over an extended period of time, as the state of the machine may change due to external activity. In a short time window, this issue is handled using a lock mechanism, however the capabilities of the storage facility are restricted during this time.

In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a mechanism whereby updates may be performed for a larger period of time, without any accompanying restrictions on the storage facility. Accordingly, various embodiments for updating at least one facility in a computing storage environment are provided. In one embodiment, by way of example only, a sequence for distributing at least one of a plurality of code packages to the at least one facility according to different states of a fixed state machine is set. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is installed in at least one staging area. The at least one of the plurality of code packages is maintained in the at least one staging area in a valid, dormant mode while the fixed state machine is stopped. Pursuant to a resumption of the fixed state machine at a subsequent time, a current code package is swapped with the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area to activate the at least one of the plurality of code packages.

In addition to the foregoing exemplary embodiment, various other method embodiments are provided and supply related advantages.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary storage facility capable of implementing various aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary state machine for carrying out an update process; and

FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart diagram of an exemplary method for updating a facility in a computing storage embodiment according to one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The illustrated embodiments provide mechanisms for updating a facility, for example in a fixed state machine implementation, over an extended period of time. These mechanisms improve current designs by providing a self-configuring and self re-synchronizing system, allowing extension of a state machine capacity from hours/days to weeks/months, for example.

The mechanisms of the illustrated embodiments enhance the fixed state machine implementation by, for example, (1) extending the length of usage of the state machine during a code load process from hours to weeks, and (2) allowing for the distribution of the state machine in a multi-head configuration, such that one management system may be configured to implement code distribution, and another management system may be configured to implement code activation.

The mechanisms of the illustrated embodiments provide several advantages, including minimization of storage facility usage restrictions, facilitation of ease of management of the maintenance time window due to the capability of handling extended periods of time between states of the engine, promotion of the aforementioned multi-head configuration of implementations for load balancing and other advantages, and toleration to system faults and flexibility to perform service in various stages of the state machine.

As previously mentioned, from time to time it is necessary to update code used by different elements in a storage facility. In one implementation, such code is commonly referred to as Licensed Maintenance Code (LMC). The Storage Facility includes several subsystems and components, referred to as updateable elements, each requiring its own unique update image and update commands.

FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram of an exemplary facility (i.e., Storage Facility) in which aspects of the present invention may be implemented. An overall product includes a Hardware Management Console (HMC) 190, such as a laptop computer, and at least one Storage Facility (SF) 100. The example Storage Facility (SF) 100 includes at least one Storage Facility Image (SFI) 105 and a power supply group 115, which includes power supplies 116 and 117. In particular, the power supply group 115 includes a rack power control (RPC) and a primary power supply (PPS), which may be treated as one unit for the purposes of updating code. The SFI includes two servers (redundant servers) S0 (140) and S1 (160, and several disk drive modules (DDMs) 110, which are data storage devices for customer data, and several host adapters (HAs) 120. HAs are physical subunits of a storage server that provide the ability to attach to one or more host I/O interfaces.

Each server 140, 160 includes at least one hard disk drive (HDD) 144, 164, also referred to as a logical partition (LPAR), at least two device adapters (DAs), 143, 163, housed in at least one storage enclosure (SE) 142, 162, and a service processor group 146, 166, respectively, (sometimes referred to as Computer-Electronic Complexes (CECs)). A CEC is the set of hardware facilities associated with each server 140, 160. DAs are physical components of the Storage Facility 100 that provide communication between the servers 140, 160 and the DDMs 110.

Each of the HDDs 144, 164 has an operating system running on it, such as IBM®'s AIX 5 L operating system software, along with a driver, also referred to as SFI code. The SFI has numerous components with code for each component. The SFI code can be thought of as the main code which coordinates the activities of most of the other components and code. One aspect of the illustrated embodiments involves, in part, updating the operating system and SFI code onto the HDDs 144, 164. The service processor groups 146, 166 and the HDDs 144, 164, respectively, combine to provide the server foundation, yet the server is incomplete without the other elements.

Typically, when a code update is needed, a technician is dispatched to the location of the Storage Facility and uses the HMC 190 to perform the updates. Alternatively, the customer may use the HMC 190 to perform the updates. Furthermore, the update may be done remotely. The HMC 190 may have the code for updating the elements stored locally, such as on a CD-ROM, or may access such code via a web site, for example. Generally, the updateable elements include the HDD 144, 164, host adapters 120, power supply component 115, DDMs 110, storage enclosures 142, 162, device adapters 143, 163, and service processor groups 146, 166.

FIG. 2, following, illustrates an exemplary state machine for carrying out an update process. One aspect of the present invention coordinates the update actions for each of the updateable elements in the context of a fixed state machine that traverses different states in a fixed sequence. The traversal of the states is repeated in successive cycles or loops. For example, a simplified state machine 200 includes states 205, 210, 215 and 220, which are traversed one at a time in the sequence shown. In practice, the present invention can traverse dozens or hundreds of different states, although an action is not necessarily performed for each updateable element in each state. Each state is associated with one or more actions that are performed in updating the elements, as detailed below.

In one embodiment, the mechanisms of the present invention may proceed in an exemplary process, following. On media insertion or network download, the process identifies a new code level is available and searches for virtualized storage facilities attached that would be candidate for this new level. Once this is complete, the state machine is automatically configured and started.

As a next step in the exemplary process, the state engine installs the new code level in a staging area, fully ready for activation (outside of the user's maintenance time window). Once this is complete, the state engine is stopped for an extended period of time (days or weeks). During this period of time the state of the storage facility can be modified in 2 ways: accidental, some kind of failure due to wearing out or other environmental issues, and normal activity, where new functions were activated, storage capacity was changed, and the like.

In one embodiment, the accidental issues may be detected via a ‘smart’ periodic verification of the storage facility. In other words, if issues have been detected on an earlier run and have not been fixed, the process does not continue to implement the overhead of an extended diagnostic. The changes due to normal activity are not detected until the state machine is resumed by a management system. This management system may be the same system or another management system in a multi-head configuration as previously described. A delta (e.g., difference between the state change and update) is then identified and resynchronized with the staging area, allowing the state machine to continue with an accurate state without restricting any of the management activity.

To better describe the foregoing exemplary process, consider the following exemplary detail of such process. Again, as a first step, media with the code level is detected. The media may be inserted or otherwise put in communication with the facility. This process may be performed by a user, service personnel, or by remote access, for example. As a next step, the state engine verifies the code validity and suitability on all attached virtualized storage facilities. Once candidates are identified, the code is installed in various staging areas of the differing hardware, firmware, and/or software in the virtualization engine and virtual storage facilities. At this point in the process, the entire storage facility is considered by the state engine to be in a valid state.

Following installation, the process may enter a dormant mode for an extended period of time (e.g., weeks). Any accidental failure will be detected, and support personnel may be then notified for repair/replacement. At a subsequent time, the process may the be resumed for an activation phase, the state delta is identified and corrected on the staging area, and the storage facility may then quickly swap the staging area with the active area with minimal disruption.

To accommodate state changes that occur during the dormant period, here again two scenarios are possible. For accidental changes, support may be notified to repair/replace the failing component. Once the repair is complete, the storage facility is either in a valid state (same as before the accident), or having a modified configuration depending on the repair procedure. In the first case, the state machine need not perform any additional activity. However, if the repair caused replacement of one or more components, a resynchronization system may be implemented as described below for normal activity changes.

For normal activity changes (e.g., modifications to the storage facility such as addition of hardware, activation of license keys, changes in logical configuration, and the like), differences between one or more staging areas, when restarting the state engine, may exist. These differences may then be analyzed and synchronized/resynchronized, bringing the modified state to a valid state, and allowing the update process to then continue. Finally, where no changes have occurred, once the state engine resumes, the update process continues as previously.

Turning to FIG. 3, following, an exemplary method 300 for updating at least one facility in a computing environment (such as a storage facility in a computing storage environment) is illustrated in flow chart diagram format. As one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate, various steps in the method 300 may be implemented in differing ways to suit a particular application. In addition, the described method 300 may be implemented by various means, such as hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof operational on or otherwise associated with the computing environment. For example, the method 300 may be implemented, partially or wholly, as a computer program product including a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein. The computer-readable storage medium may include disk drives, flash memory, digital versatile disks (DVDs), compact disks (CDs), and other types of storage mediums.

Method 300 begins (step 302) by detection of media having the code level to be updated to the elements in the respective facility (step 304). The code validity is verified (step 306) and a sequence for distribution of the code package to the facility is set according to fixed state machine states (step 308). The code package is then installed in a staging area (step 310) where it is maintained in a valid, dormant mode while the fixed state machine is then stopped (step 312).

During the dormant mode, as previously indicated, various factors may cause a state machine change that should be addressed previous to a resumption of the state machine to activate the update. If, during this period, an accidental state change occurs (such as a hardware, software, or firmware failure, error, or other change as previously described), and the activity results in a modification of the configuration of the updatable element (step 318), then the synchronization/re-synchronization mechanism previously described is implemented to analyze and synchronize differences between the facility and staging area to bring the modified state again to a valid state (step 322).

Returning to step 314, if an accidental state change does not occur, but a normal activity state change occurs (step 316), again resulting in a modification of the configuration of the updatable element, the synchronization mechanism previously described again is implemented (again, step 320). If neither an accidental or normal activity change occurs during the dormancy, following a subsequent amount of time the fixed state machine is again resumed, and the current code package is swapped with the update (in its valid state) to activate the new code package.

As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit,” “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer readable medium(s) having computer readable program code embodied thereon.

Any combination of one or more computer readable medium(s) may be utilized. The computer readable medium may be a computer readable signal medium or a computer readable storage medium. A computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of the computer readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.

Program code embodied on a computer readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wired, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing. Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on the user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).

Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks. The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.

The flowchart and block diagram in the above figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.

While one or more embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in detail, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that modifications and adaptations to those embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A method for updating at least one facility in a computing storage environment by a processor device, comprising: setting a sequence for distributing at least one of a plurality of code packages to the at least one facility according to different states of a fixed state machine; installing the at least one of the plurality of code packages in at least one staging area, wherein the at least one of the plurality of code packages is maintained in the at least one staging area in a valid, dormant mode while the fixed state machine is stopped; and pursuant to a resumption of the fixed state machine at a subsequent time, swapping a current code package with the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area to activate the at least one of the plurality of code packages.
 2. The method of claim 1, further including identifying the at least one facility as an update candidate.
 3. The method of claim 1, further including periodically performing a verification procedure on the at least one facility.
 4. The method of claim 3, further including, pursuant to periodically performing the verification procedure on the at least one facility, detecting a modification to the at least one facility.
 5. The method of claim 4, wherein the detecting the modification to the at least one facility further includes at least one of detecting a hardware addition, detecting a license activation, and detecting a logical configuration change.
 6. The method of claim 4, further including, pursuant to the detecting the modification to the at least one facility, identifying at least one difference between the at least one of the plurality of code packages and a current code level in the at least one facility.
 7. The method of claim 6, further including, pursuant to the identifying at least one difference between the at least one of the plurality of code packages and the current code level in the at least one facility, synchronizing the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area and the current code level in the at least one facility.
 8. The method of claim 7, further including, subsequent to synchronizing the at least one of the plurality of code packages in the at least one staging area and the current code level in the at least one facility, performing the resumption of the fixed state machine. 